Technical Field of the Disclosure
The present embodiment relates generally to charcoal starters, and more particularly, to an improved charcoal starter that ensures safe transfer of hot charcoals to a barbecue unit and eliminates the need for repetitive insertions of a flammable material into the charcoal starter.
Description of the Related Art
Barbecues commonly use charcoal as a fuel source. Igniting charcoal requires a high temperature for a duration of time, and to facilitate this process a growing number of charcoal starter devices has been developed. In conventional charcoal starters, charcoal is placed on top of the charcoal starter and a flammable material such as newspaper is placed at the bottom portion of the starter where the charcoals are present. As the newspaper burns it remains in close proximity to the charcoal and ignites the charcoal. Besides charcoal, any fuel source like briquettes, wood chips, and cut wood can also be utilized as they are common in the field of barbecuing. If the applied flammable material does not ignite the charcoal, then repetitive insertions of the flammable material are often required until the charcoal catches fire. This method of ignition raises the temperature of the charcoal starter beyond a safe temperature such that it may cause burn injury to a user. Further, the flammable material may contain harmful or fatal substances, which may be transferred to the charcoal and then onto food items while cooking.
Various methods, products and improvements exist in order to alleviate the aforementioned problems. One such method describes an apparatus for igniting charcoal with the help of an inflammable and sustainable material, especially a material based on wood. The apparatus includes a cage that receives the charcoal. Once the charcoal has burnt sufficiently, the hot coals are transferred to a barbecue unit by pouring them out of the apparatus. As the apparatus has no thermally resistant handles, the user must normally exercise extreme care while transferring the charcoal to the barbecue unit to avoid the splashing out of the hot coals.
Another method describes a combustible and readily ignitable rectangular container. The container is designed to insert into a freestanding octagonal vented metal ignition sleeve resting on a grill surface. Crumpled paper is placed within the bottom of an ignition sleeve of the container. The container includes a removable handle. The crumpled paper is ignited, which in turn ignites the combustible container and the charcoal briquettes in an efficient manner. A user connects the handle with the container to transfer the hot charcoals to a barbecue unit. Even so, the crumpled paper may include toxic substances, which may be transferred onto food items while cooking. Since the handle is not permanently attached to the container, there is a greater chance of the user touching the hot container directly with his/her hands and potentially sustaining a burn to himself/herself.
Yet another method describes an improved charcoal starter that employs a unique charcoal release system that permits the charcoal to be deposited into a barbecue unit through the bottom of the device, thereby eliminating the splashing of lighted ashes. The charcoal starter utilizes a combustible material such as newspaper for firing the device. However, this combustible material often cannot produce a high enough temperature required for the proper ignition of the charcoal. Moreover, repetitive insertions of the combustible material are often required in order to adequately ignite the charcoal.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example prior art of a charcoal starter. The charcoal starter 100 is an open metal cylinder comprising a thermally resistant handle 110. A wire frame 120 is secured to the metal cylinder to provide a support for the charcoal. A plurality of vent holes 130 is located near the bottom of the device 100 to provide air flow for the ignition process. FIG. 2 illustrates the existing type of charcoal starter 100 depicting the charcoal 140 at the top of the device 100 with a flammable material 150 stuffed underneath the bottom of the device 100. FIG. 3 illustrates the existing type of charcoal starter 100 showing how the charcoal 160 is poured out of the device 100 when the charcoals 160 are preferably fully ignited.
There is thus a need for a charcoal starter that is reliable and easy to use. Such a needed device would utilize a non-toxic flammable material and would eliminate the need for repetitive insertions of the flammable material in order to adequately ignite the charcoal. Such a device would utilize a flammable material that would stay ignited long enough to ensure the efficient ignition of the charcoal. Moreover, the needed device would ensure a safe transfer of hot charcoals from the charcoal starter to a barbecue unit. In addition, this needed charcoal starter would be economical, portable, as well as user friendly. The present embodiment accomplishes these objectives.